Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-08

The hall was quite dark and !
erored my way upstairs. St,althy
footsteps seemed TO keep pace vita
mine.
Jennie Was asleep. The moonlight
fell upon her tranquil face and closed
eye. Happy Jennie Sleep was i'm
possible TO mc-sleep and rest and
pcace-forever. For on my forehead
on my heait-was the brand Of Cain
] do not know how / passed that
night. j neither undressed nor lay
down. / think | walked miles in the
ftiul darkness of the qniet room, torn
alternately by the horror of my crime
end the passionate grief of learning
that my adored wife's heart had never
been nine-Glways another's Once
Jennie stirred in her sleep and muir
muIed some halfindistinct words. |
stopped and listened. 1t is possible to
feel jealous even of the dead The
n con, long obscured, shone out again.
/ leaned over my wife's rillow and saw
her lips move. 1t was Bnsbane's nlme
she mumured. My heart sickened
with jealous agony and again remorse
fed.
Hank What was that? From down
stairs there cane the sound of hideous,
prolonged, mufrled laughter. Ny blood
seemed TO freeze in my veins. 1 shud-
deed violently, and resumed my rest
les pacing up and down the room.
Strange to say, no feeling of hatred to
Jcnrie was in my heart for her false
ness to me-ber duplicity. l only
seemed TO pity her. For was she not
the wife Of a murderer?
The hours went on, sometimes in
darkness. sometimes in moonhght-for
it bad rot struck me to light the can
dlcs-and ] still walked up and down,
and tbought-tbougbt -until my brain
seemed bursting. At last my plans
were formed, and, worn ont, / sank
into chair and leaned my head against
the cushioned back. Then | saw that
the day had dawned, and heard the
clock down stairs strike 4.
During breakfast | informed Jennie,
hsrshly enough, that ] had packed
some books, extra clothes, &c, III the
new portmanteau, and would take my
old black one as well, which, ! added,
YVES also packed and strapped.
every well, dear, she replied, "but
would you start to-day, George? You
look so i'll. wish, wistfully, "that
were going with you" She came
and laid her arms round my neck as
she spoke, and | saw that her eyes
were full of tears. | sat silent, pale,
and submitted passively TO her caress.
Would not one think she loved me ?
Tut / knew better. ] rose abruptly
and shook off her little hands, my
heart full of rage and misery.
was to start by the 9:45 for Edin-
burqh, and it was low 900. | bid o
lrief Goodbye" to Jennie and
touched her forehead coldly with my
lips.
"Goorge," she called ont, in waver-
ing little voice, as was stepping into
The bIougbam, "you have no label on
the brown roltmanteau. " But ! took
10 notice, and was soon driven rapidly
away.
] arrived in Edinburgh about s
oc!cck.
"Any luggage, sir ?" said an obsequi
ous porter rs | stepped out on the plat
form at Wavcrley.
Gene black portmsnteau labelled
Talbot, | replied laconically.
drove TO the Clarendon, in Princes
.trcet. where / had already wired t(
secure room. On entering my bed
iccm the first thing saw was-did my
cyCs deceive me the brown portman
tCau
Here, J said hurriedly to the mai
who followed me with the rest Of m,
hacpaee, "lave this thing taken out
1t is not mine
"No, sir? " queried the man, doubt
fully. "Same label-same name, sir.
II TUNED cold. There was label
It did bear my name, but it was in REL
ink
Eyes, ! sec it is the same name
said with forced calmncss, but tel
You i is not mine. -
"Would You mind letting it remain
here for tonight, sir?" he sad
There is no other gentleman Of tina
pamc in the house, and it's morta
heavy
What could 7 say? To refuse woul'
Int he to excite suspicion. and yet
could notpa.s the night with the CURSE
thing in TIE room.
Fowcver, before lcGtime ] got then
| to Jet me have another apartment, eS
FLAMING that could not sleep IN
room which faced the street, rs ! wa
out Of health and easily disturbed
Happilv. there was vacant bed-roof
| licking to the Lack. lIue, it was a5ou
lalf tie size. hut | would not hay
cared if it bad been too small to swim
tLe Traditional cat. myself watche
;ho removal Of my traps from the on
room to the other.
[ rc,ilcd early that night, for va
fstiaucd and overweight my ilcu
ties seemed numbed. / could hardl
,hiuk ccnsecutiycly. The newspaper
,cemed full OF horrible murders.
laDcied The other men in the coae'
room looked at lac susplciously.
When I reached my room / close
and locked the door, aud placed ii
candle on the dressing-table. As
,aucht sight of my face in the glass
.tarted violently, for, looking over N
shoulder. l saw another face 1t wi
Trisbane's. The wound in his forehea
.hoved distinctly, his eyes were wid
and blue. and staring. Trembling an
| lick | turned my head. The room W.
empty, Of course, but At the foot OF Il
led was-the brown portmantelu
wore under NY breath aud slu
heavily into a chair. Fad the sous
less fools not understood lac when
,aid il was not mine? | gazed at
fascinated. AhorTible conviction can
over me that ii would open-that 1t WI
INT | shook of this foolish fear, AM
having lit another candle, threw myse
ON the bed, dressed as l was, and Il
,everishiy counting the hours until Il
dav should break.
in the morning / started for kinros
I had arranged to meet a friend
mine there. DR. Kendal, and we Il
tended having few days fishing {
! och Leven before going on to Loo
Tay.
i sense of relief took possession
me as drove away from the hotel al
left behirAl me forever the horrible 7
cord OF my crime. A new phase
feeling possessed Inc now. a passlo